It does seem to not be the best for modeling, huh? I'm trying to keep an open mind like "I'm just not used to it yet" and "we all think our first 3D app is the most intuitive" but certain things just seem complicated in C4D. I just had to mirror some geometry twice and there were quite few steps involved until I had a clean, welded, editable mesh that wasn't under a null.

I bought ZBrush a couple of years ago. I should really start using it. :)

Its swings and roundabouts when it comes to 3D software. It seems the case what you dont know dont hurt you as if you start in one app and know no different you take it that this is the way things are. C4D is way more intuitive IMHO as a whole than MODO, but that comes at a high cost and thats loosing on some essential and logical tasks and features within C4D. Cutting and pasting polygon selection is done with tools, it should be a simple Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V to copy and paste selected polygons to a new mesh layer. Symmetry for modeling by splitting your model in half every time you wish to do more modeling is far from ideal, this alone slows me down significantly. Modeling base on the selection axis is very limited and you cannot manipulate multiple polygon selections on their own normal without using a seperate tool handle set. As for Zbrush, If I had to choose one bit of software it would be that, just awesome with its only downfall being its UI.

I would make a video on all the essential modeling tools you need from Maya then post it, try to make them separate videos and see if we can come up with a solution.

Modo has some advantages over C4D for modeling, but I think you can do what you are asking in C4D. See below:

Some of the strengths of C4D over the competition:

1. rock solid stability

2. mograph is a lot quicker to set up than equivalent in Houdini. Very useful tool.

3. best NPR rendering/options in any program

4. very intuitive after you get use to its paradigm

5. best bevel tool on market (except maybe Houdini)

6. good interaction with After Effects

7. probably nicest and most helpful forums

8. procedural curved based modeling better than Modo or Houdini (using tracers and nulls with a sweep). Houdini works but can be slow and has no options to set up UVs automatically without having to add a bunch of extra nodes.

9. polypen is awesome

10. snapping options actually work

11. strong dynamics

12. voronoi fracture good.

13. new additions in R20 (fields) for mograph very powerful.

14. better text and illustrator import and extrude options than any other program I know of

15. loft/sweep/extrude nurbs great, as long as you are aware of limitations and don't use them for sloppy modeling.

16 very good hair

17 good CAD import

18 volume modeling can be useful (but creates a LOT of geometry for production ready models)

Weak areas over competition:

1. hypernurbs are not as good as true SDS modeling (even with isoline turned on) as they can cause texture distortion even with best settings.

2. render engines faster but not as good as competition (all three). Many buy third party renders. (Houdini Mantra is awesome in comparison but slow!)

3. modeling tools need be better organized.

4. lacking fluids

5. has particles, but nobody uses it. They buy x particles

6. character rigging and animation can get slow in viewport compared with Maya

7. probably not as many tutorials available as for Maya

8. No history stack. Procedural systems work for simple models, but you will probably need to make them editable for more complicated models and then you loose the procedural history.

9. symmetry needs work

10. UV tools are awful: unintuitive and even when learned, do not generate as good UVs as competition. (I use UVunfold, thanks to Dan/Recto)

11. weak cloth

12. expensive. Versions other than Studio are pretty limited, and MSA for Studio coupled with upgrading render engines and x particles, etc. will rival Autodesk costs.

Modo is slightly nicer than C4D for modeling and rendering and much better for UVs. After that, it kind of peters out in features/stability/strength. Personally, I am transitioning to Houdini, but it can be a bear. Z brush is the best sculpting program. It is a mediocre painting program. It is very useful for organic modeling that will never be rigged. It is no replacement for one of the standard 3D content creating applications, unless you like spiral edge loops and some excess geometry.